Shattered Pictures of the Past
by purplepagoda
Summary: When someone from Bones' past shows up will she be able to keep her past a secret? What has her so shaken up about this mystery person? Will she be able to deal with it or will she shut off?
1. A handsome vistor

"Sweetie there is someone who wants to see you,"

"Someone?"

"A man. He says that he's sorry, and that you should forgive him,"

This spikes her interest.

"What does he look like?"

"Blonde hair, big blue eyes, he's over six feet. He's well built, sweetie he's gorgeous,"

"Did you happen to get a name?"

"Alex Marshall," she answers as Temperance stares at her computer screen.  
Her head slowly looks up. Her eyes lock with Angela's. Angela notices the unusual look in Temperance's eyes. She realizes that the look is fear.  
"Have security escort him off the premises,"

"Don't you think you're being a little bit harsh? He seems nice, and he's so hot,"

"Looks aren't everything Ange, they can be very deceiving,"

"Are you serious about the security thing?"

"Yes. Tell them if they see him around her again to alert the local authorities,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

"Ok," Angela agrees and slinks out of the room.

A few minutes later she returns. She notices that Temperance is visibly shaken.

"Are you going to explain?"

"Not right now,"

"Do you need me to do anything?"

"Get Booth. I'm not stepping out of this office until he's here,"

"Ok," Angela agrees.

Half an hour later Angela returns with Agent Booth.

"What's going on Bones?"

"I need you to stay with me,"

"What?"

"Do not leave me for a second," she tells him.

"I don't understand,"

"You're not going anywhere. Wherever you go I go, and vice versa,"

"Why?"

"Either do it or give me a gun," she replies.

"What?"

"You heard me," she answers.

"What has you so weirded out?"

"Do you have plans for tonight?"

"No why are you asking me on a date?" he semi-jokes.

"You're going to be staying with me,"

"Why?"

"Because I need you,"

"Bones can you please explain to me what's going on?"

Still standing in the doorway Angela answers for her knowing that she won't do it for herself, "This guy came in to see her. When I told her who it was she told me to tell security to have him escorted off the premises. After I told security that she told me to get you,"

"Who is this guy? Is it a serial killer? A mob man?"

"I don't know. He's a total stud named Alex Marshall,"

"Bones do you know this guy?"

Her eyes never meet his. She stares at her shoes as she answers, "Obviously."

"What is going on? Who is this guy?" Angela quizzes.

"It's not important," Temperance answers.

"Are you afraid of him?" Booth questions.

"Sort of. He's just not a good guy... the opposite actually,"

"How do you know him sweetie?"

"We went to college together,"

"Anything else?" Angela presses.

Temperance clams up.

"So you're actually asking me to protect you?"

"Yes," she unhappily.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to go to lunch?"

"Can you find me a mask?"

"There are lots of old masks laying around here I'm sure that I can,"

"Booth I think that she was joking,"

He looks at her. She looks up at him with a brief grin. He rolls his eyes and offers her a hand. She takes it, and he pulls her up.  
Nearly an hour later he finds himself staring at her as she stares blankly into a bowl of soup.

"You're soup is going to get cold," he tells her.

This doesn't register with her. She continues to stare into the soup. He puts his hand over top of the bowl.

"What are you thinking about so hard over there?"

She looks up at him. She debates lying, but chooses to tell the truth, or at least a shade of it. After some thought she finally answers, "Marriage."

"How it's an antiquated ritual?" he questions.

"Exactly," she admits.

"Why do you have such strong feelings towards marriage?"

"I've just noticed that it rarely works out,"

"But isn't it better to have loved and lost than never loved at all?"

"You can do that without getting married,"

"Have you ever thought about getting married?"

"No," it wasn't a total lie.

"Do you think that you'll ever get married?" he questions her already knowing her answer.

"No," she replies confidently.

"Why not?"

"I just... marriage is stupid," she counters.

"I like the first grade reasoning skills that you have today,"

"Your view of marriage is idealistic," she tells him.

"Why is that?"

"You've never been married,"

"Neither have you,"

There is silence. She slurps some soup and makes a sour face.

"It's cold isn't it?" he raises an eyebrow.

She nods.

"So what do you have against this Alex guy?"

"I... we kind of have a past,"

"Is he a stalker or something like that?"

"Yeah or something,"

"So can I run a background check on him?"

"Sure but you won't find anything,"

"How can you be so sure?"

"His dad is richer than daddy Warbucks,"

"What?" he asks in shock because of the pop culture reference.

"His dad has deep pockets," she tells him hoping that will be more clear.

"No I got it, I just am surprised,"

"I've seen Annie. I was obsessed with it for a while. I told my dad that I wanted a dog named Sandy for Christmas,"

"Ironic,"

"What?"

"You were obsessed with Annie who was an orphan,"

"So?"

"You later became an orphan,"

"Oh,"

"So are you serious about me staying with you tonight?"

"As a heart attack,"

"Why?"

"I... I don't... I can't... I can't explain it,"

"Can't because you don't know how, or because you don't want to?"

"Both," she recognizes.

"Can you stay with me tonight?"

"Why?"

"Because I've got Parker tonight,"

"Sure, but I'll still have to swing by my apartment to get some clothes,"

"Ok,"

"Does Parker like macaroni and cheese?"

"Bones he's six,"

"Is that relevant somehow?"

"All six year olds like macaroni and cheese. Why do you ask?"

"I thought since you're letting me stay with you the least I could do was cook for you,"

"Ok. It saves me from buying pizza,"

"What? How?"

"Parker has been on this big pizza kick lately. He expects pizza every time I have him,"

"I can make pizza,"

"You can?"

"Yes. You seem that I know anything about cooking,"

"You're just... don't take this the wrong way, but you aren't really domestic," he tells her.

"I can cook,"

"Ok. So after we swing by your place do you want to stop at the store?"

"Yeah. What does Parker like on his pizza?"

"Pepperoni, and sausage,"

"So meat?"

"Yeah pretty much,"


	2. A night with the boys

After they finish work they stop by her apartment. She collects her things, and then they move on to their next task. After finishing their tour of the grocery store they get in the car and head out. There is an awkward silence on their way to pick Parker up. Finally Booth breaks it.

"Are you going to tell me about this guy?"

She looks at him intensely. Her mind goes back to years before. She hears Angela's voice in her head telling her, "_Offer up a little bit of yourself every once in a while. Just, tell somebody something you're not completely certain you want them to know."_ She removes herself from her own head and then returns her eyes to Seeley. He glances back at her and then returns his eyes to the road.

"He's an ex-marine," she declares.

"Where did you meet him?"

"I saw him in the library one day,"

"Your eyes met across the room?"

"Yeah something like that. I didn't think that he noticed, but a few seconds later he was standing next to me asking if he could sit next to me,"

"And?"

"I agreed. He was charming,"

Booth smiles and says nothing.

"We went out for a while,"

"How long is a while?"

"We dated for five months," she answers trying not to put emphasis on the word dated.

"So what happened?"

"Things just didn't work out,"

"Why not?"

"He wasn't at all who I thought he was,"

"Oh," he sighs.

They pick Parker up, and the rest of the ride is mostly silent. When they arrive Seeley leads Temperance into the kitchen and allows Parker to go to his room. Seeley shows her where everything is, and then takes a seat at the table. He watches her closely. After ten minutes of no noises other than cutting, a clock ticking, the silence breaks. Parker flies down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Dad I'm hungry," he tells Seeley.

"Bones is making dinner,"

"What are you making?" he asks her.

"Pizza,"

"Can I help?"

"Sure wash your hands first," she stipulates.

"Why can't I help?" Seeley asks.

"Don't you have better things to do?" she asks him as the water at the sink turns on.

"No," he answers.

"I don't need your help," she answers.

"Fine," he huffs as he crosses his arms.

Parker dries his hands on a dish towel and grabs a stool. He carefully pushes it next to Temperance. She pushes some things towards him.

"This one is yours go ahead and put whatever you'd like on it,"

His face lights up, and he starts grabbing furiously for ingredients. A few minutes later they put several tiny pizzas in the oven.

"Can I go watch T.V. now dad?" Parker quizzes.

"Sure son," he answers.

Temperance takes the dirty dishes to the sink.

"Don't worry about it. I'll get it," he tells her.

"It will only take me a minute," she responds.

"Really bones it's ok,"

"Fine," she sighs.

"Do you want a drink?" he questions.

"Not tonight," she tells him.

"What do you mean not tonight?"

"Just not tonight,"

"Is it because of Parker?"

"No, it has nothing to do with him,"

"Do you want to tell me what it has to do with?"

"No,"

"Ok," he agrees.

Soon enough dinner is ready. They all sit down to eat. Seeley sits next one side of Temperance. Parker finds himself situated on the other side of the good doctor. They eat quietly. After finishing their meal Seeley puts the dishes in the sink. At this point Parker's curiosity gets the best of him.

"Are you staying here tonight?"

She looks at Seeley for guidance. He smiles and then answers, "Yeah."

"You can sleep in my room if you want," he offers generously.

"That won't be necessary son she's going to stay in my room,"

Temperance's eyes double their size. She stares at him looking for further explanation.

"And I'm going to sleep on the couch," he finishes.

"I can sleep on the couch. I don't mind," she tells him.

"No Bones I insist,"

"Dad why do you call her Bones? I thought that her name was Dr. Brennan,"

"It is Parker,"

"Yeah Booth why is it that you call me bones?"

"Well you see Parker Temperance here works with bones... skeletons and such,"

"Temperance? Who is Temperance?"

"She is. It's her first name,"

Parker turns his head to Temperance. He looks at her intensely and then asks, "So what do I call you?"

"Whatever you choose to call me as long as you don't call me Bones," she answers.

"What do you do with bones? Are they people bones?"

"I study bones to see what happened to them,"

"To people?"

"Yes. I get to determine how these people became skeletons,"

"So you figure out how they died?" Parker asks with a furrowed brow.

"Yes,"

"So what do you and daddy do together?"

"We catch the guys who made the people into skeletons," Seeley explains as delicately as possible.

"Do you get a gun?" Parker's eyes light up.

"Someone won't let me have one,"

"If by someone you're referring to me you're wrong. The FBI won't let you have a gun,"

"So? You're an extension of the FBI,"

"Your point?"

"You're the one who denied my request for a gun,"

"I'm not going to discuss this with you anymore,"

"Do you want to play a game with me?" he asks.

"Me?" Temperance clarifies.

"Uh huh,"

"What kind of game?"

"A video game,"

"Son I don't think that she's ready for that just yet,"

"Ok,"

"And I do believe that it's your bedtime,"

"Do I have to take a bath?"

"Yes," Seeley answers.

An hour later Parker is fast asleep in his room. Seeley rejoins Temperance in the living room. He sits down beside her on the couch.

"Earlier when you said that what's his face wasn't who you thought he was what did you mean?"

"When I first met him he was charismatic, and sweet, but it was an act. That wasn't really how he was,"

"Oh,"


	3. A rude awakening

She lies there with her eyes open. She keeps still thinking that her movements will alert him. She listens carefully. She hears her heart pounding in her chest. She hears him breathing. She waits for him to start snoring. He finally starts to snore lightly. She carefully slips out of bed, and instantly regrets it. She hears the snoring stop, and feels the bed move next to her. She sits very quietly against the side of the bed. She feels a hand plunge into her hair. She knew what happened next, this was nothing new. She can feel her muscles tense. '

A shrilling sound makes her jerk. She sits up and looks around. She finds the settings unfamiliar. She sees her phone lighting up on the stand next to her. She takes a deep breath and stares at the clock finally realizing where she is. She grabs the phone and answers, "Hello?"

"Dr. Brennan this is Amanda with Brinks home security we've just received word that your security system was compromised,"

"What?" she can't seem to think clearly at–she looks at the clock– three forty-nine in the morning.

"Are you ok? Is there someone in your home?"

"I don't know. I'm staying with a friend,"

"So you're not home?"

"No,"

"So you didn't open a door and forget to unarm your system?"

"No,"

"Ok. We're going to send the police over to check it out right now,"

"Ok thank you," Temperance says.

She hangs up the phone and climbs out of bed. She shuffles her feet until she reaches the door way. She then picks them up carefully with each step not wanting to wake Parker. She looks in on him as she passes his open bedroom door. His covers are on the floor and one foot dangles off the edge of his bed. She carefully creeps into his room. He snores loudly as she stands over him. She carefully places his dangling leg back on the bed. She gently throws his covers over him. She quietly exits the room and heads for the stairs. After reaching the bottom she steps onto a cold floor. It makes her nearly jump out of her skin. She recovers and then tiptoes into the living room. She stops next to the couch. She looks at Seeley who has his eyes shut tightly. She sees the remote on the coffee table. She turns off the flickering T.V., and carefully walks in between the coffee table and the couch. A hand grabs her calf. She freezes.

"I was watching that," a voice tells her.

She smiles to herself before he turns a lamp on. She stands in front of him as he sits up. He motions for her to sit, and she does so with very little reluctance.

"What's on your mind?" he questions.

"Why do you think that there is something on my mind?"

"Because you're wondering around the house at nearly four in the morning," he tells her.

"Oh,"

"Couldn't sleep?"

"I was,"

"What happened?"

"I got a phone call,"

"From who?"

"The security company,"

"Whose security company?"

"Mine... the one for my security system,"

"Oh what did they want?"

"They want to let me know that my security system had been compromised,"

"How is that possible?"

"I have a few guesses,"

"You don't guess,"

"I have an idea,"

"What?"

"It was Alex. He obviously knows where I live. I thought that I would be safe,"

"In your own apartment?"

"Away from him,"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Never mind,"

"No tell me,"

"I..." he could swear that her voice was trembling–she was not a woman whose voice ever trembled.

"Temperance are you afraid of him?"

"Not really... not anymore,"

"Not really? Or you aren't?"

"How did he find me?"

"He probably typed your name into the white pages,"

"Typed my name in?"

"Yeah. There is a website that is the same as the white pages in the phone book,"

"Oh,"

"Are you afraid of him?" he poses the question again.

"I used to be,"

"Are you still?"

"I don't know. He's a big guy,"

"Why are you afraid of him?"

"It's a long story,"

"It's four in the morning... I've got the whole day ahead of me,"

"I'm not sure that I want to talk about it,"

"Why?"

"There is a reason that the past stays the past,"

"What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of things in my past that I would prefer stayed there,"

"I thought that you didn't believe in regret,"

"I don't,"

"But?"

"But nothing. I just... I left that. That life... it's not my life anymore, I'm not that person anymore,"

"What life? What person?"

"I'm not a naive kid, and I... I'm just not willing to have him in my life again,"

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Things that I can't tell you,"

"Things you won't tell me..."

"I... it would change your perception of me,"

"Nothing could change what I think about you,"

"Maybe not, but I... I don't want to discuss it,"

"Why?"

"It's the past. I don't live in the past,"

"You frequently look at bones that are hundreds of years old,"

"That isn't the same. I meant that I don't live in my past,"

"Maybe you should have lived more in your past,"

"I don't know what that means,"

"You should have lived it when you were there so that you don't have to do it now,"

"I've lived plenty thank you,"

"You've never done anything spontaneous in your life,"

"I have you just don't know about it,"

"Tell me,"

"No,"

"I'm your partner,"

"Yes you are, but I'm failing to see your point,"

"You're ok with me protecting you, but you won't tell me a few secrets,"

"Sorry,"

"Temperance you don't really need protecting,"

"Maybe not now... but I could slip into the past,"

"What?"

"Nothing,"

"What did this guy do to you? What has you so afraid of him?"

"It isn't important,"

"Yes it is Temperance. If this guy hurt you I want to nail his ass to the wall,"

"You won't find anything to nail him to the wall with,"

"What?"

"Nothing... I'm tired. I just want some sleep,"

"Then go back to bed,"

"I don't know if I can go to sleep,"

"Why not?"

"It's stupid,"

"No tell me,"

"I just I have nightmares,"

"About what?"

"Nothing... just... nothing,"

"Why don't you lay down here, close your eyes and I'll go sit in the chair. If you have any nightmares I'll be right here,"

"Ok," it surprises him that she agrees.

When she comes out of her sleep her senses yell at her. She smells coffee, and pancakes. She feels something heavy on her chest. She finds it very hard to breath. She rubs at her eyes before opening them. When she finally opens them she sees a bright eyed boy on top of her.

"What are you doing?" she asks with a grin.

"Daddy said that you're a heavy sleeper. He told me to come sit on you," Parker answers.

"Oh," she smiles as he slips off. He grabs her hand and tugs. "Come on!" he insists.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"To the kitchen. Dad made us breakfast," Parker tells her.


	4. Rattled

"You seem distracted this morning Dr. Brennan," Sweets observes as he enters her office.

"She is," Seeley answers for her.

"About what?" he asks Temperance.

"Some guy," Seeley reveals.

"Is that true Dr. Brennan?"

She finally makes eye contact with him. "I'm sorry what?"

"Are you distracted by some guy?" Sweets asks her.

"I guess," she answers, being less than forthcoming.

"Is this a boyfriend?" Sweets fishes.

"An ex," Seeley smiles.

"Why are you thinking about an ex-boyfriend?"

"He showed up here yesterday,"

"Did he want to get back together with you?"

"I don't know if he thought that but, it's not going to happen," she answers quickly and vehemently.

"Did you talk to the police?" Temperance questions Seeley.

"Yes,"

"And?"

"Someone picked your lock. They dusted for prints, and they're running them now," he tells her.

"They won't find anything," she reveals.

"What do you mean?"

"He's not stupid. I'm sure that he wore gloves," she tells him.

"Who?" Sweets asks not in the loop.

"Alex," she answers.

"Who is that?"

"It's her ex Sweets,"

"He broke into your apartment?"

"I think so," she admits.

"Were you there?"

"No. I stayed with Booth last night,"

"Why?" Sweets forms a smile.

"Because she felt threatened,"

"Is this true Dr. Brennan?"

"I guess...,"

"You guess do you think that you can elaborate a little bit more Dr. Brennan?"

"He's an ex, he hunted me down. He's also an ex-marine,"

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

"I've got work to do," she answers.

Later that day Booth searches for Bones. He finds her with Angela.

"Bones do you want to go to lunch?"

"No. I'm not hungry," she tells him.

"Fine... Ange you want to go to lunch?"

Her eyes drift away from her computer screen.

"You don't have to ask me twice," she beams.

When they get to the diner they're both less interested in food than they are Brennan. They order, and their drinks grow warm as they talk.

"That guy really has her rattled," Angela points out.

"Yeah. I think that there is more to the story that she just isn't sharing,"

"Of course there is. Something stinks. I think that we both know she isn't famous for being forthcoming about her past,"

"True,"

"Maybe you should look into it,"

"Yeah... I think I will. There is something just not right about this,"

"I know. It's not like Brennan to be scared of anyone,"

"And that really worries me Ange,"

"Me too,"

"I'm not so sure that here fear is misguided either,"

"What do you mean?'

"Her place got broken into last night,"

"She didn't tell me that,"

"Of course not,"

"Did she who it was?"

"She stayed with me,"

"Oh. So did anything get taken?"

"No. I think this guy did it,"

"What does she think?"

"She agrees with me,"

"What is wrong with this guy?"

"I don't know but I'm going to find out,"

"And in the mean time?"

"I don't know. She usually fights me on this kind of stuff,"

"But?"

"I told her I wanted to do a background check on this guy,"

"What did she say?"

"She said that I wouldn't find anything,"

"Did she say why?"

"She told me that his dad was richer than daddy Warbucks,"

"She actually said that?"

"Yeah,"

"Booth this isn't good,"

"I know, but I don't know what I should do,"

"Let her tell you,"

"What if she doesn't tell me anything? She can't stay with me forever. She has to go home at some point, and she should feel safe in her own home,"

"I'll try to get it out of her, but I can't make any promises,"

"All I can ask you is to try,"

Angela approaches Temperance when she returns from lunch. She finds Temperance in her office.  
"Hey Bren can I talk to you?"

"About what?" she asks making eye contact, and moving towards the couch.

"Alex Marshall,"

"Why?"

"You're scared of him,"

Temperance says nothing.

"Sweetie you aren't scared of anyone,"

"That's not true,"

"Just let me in," Angela begs.

"You won't understand,"

"Understand what?"

"The situation,"

"What situation?"

"Why I stayed,"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't even understand. I can't make sense of it myself,"

"Just try to explain it to me,"

"I thought that it was cute that he was protective,"

"Uh huh,"

"I ended up moving in with him,"

"I thought you were only together for five months,"

"Where did you get that?"

"Booth told me,"

"Oh,"

"So you moved in with him?"

"Uh huh,"

"How old were you?"

"Nineteen,"

"Is he the same age as you are?"

"No he was twenty four,"

"How was the sex?" she lights up upon asking.

"Rough," she answers honestly.

"Good rough? Or bad rough?"

"I don't know. I thought that is was good..."

"But?"

"I soon realized that him being protective wasn't so cute, and it wasn't him being protective,"

"What was it?"

"Jealousy, and control,"

"Oh,"

"After a while I realized that he wasn't the sweet and charming guy I thought that he was,"

"What was he?"

"A control freak,"

"Did he..."

"He had a temper,"

"Did he ever do anything to you?"

Temperance clams up. She shifts her gaze elsewhere. Angela realizes that she's lost her.

"Are you ever going to tell me the whole story?"

"You don't want the whole story,"

"I'm your best friend you can tell me,"

"I know that I can... but it's too hard,"

"How long are you going to stay with Booth?"

She eyes Angela suspiciously.

"As long as it takes,"

"As long as it takes for what?"

"To get him to go away,"


	5. Vows

After work they head to her apartment. He stays on her heels as she wanders through the apartment. He watches her closely as she searches for something. She stops at a bookshelf, and pulls off a box. She removes the lid, and quickly thumbs through the contents. She says nothing. She replaces the lid of the box, and returns it to a shelf.

"Can I help?" he asks.

She shakes her head.

"What are you looking for?" he asks.

She doesn't respond. A light goes off in her head. "Chemistry," she tells him.

"What?" he looks at her in puzzlement.

"I'm looking for a chemistry book,"

"Why?"

"You'll see,"

"What does it look like?"

"It has blue binding,"

He searches. His arm rests on her shoulder as his finger points to a book right in front of her. She follows the finger, and reaches for the book. She pulls it off the shelf and opens the cover. She encounters what she's looking for. She pulls an object out. She shuts the book, and then reopens at the back cover. She pulls out another object. Satisfied she shuts the book, and returns it to it's designated spot on the book case.

"Are you staying here tonight?" he questions.

"Are you going to stay with me?"

"Sure," he answers.

"Then yes I'll stay,"

"What are those?" he asks as he points to what she has in her hand.

She doesn't answer. She leads him to the couch. She sits down. Following her lead he sits as well. She hands him a picture. He takes it from her and studies it.

"Is this Alex?"

"Yeah,"

"You guys look happy,"

"That was early on," she tells him.

He looks at the picture. He sees a man with his arms draped around Temperance who is smiling wildly.

He hears her sigh, and then tell him, "And this was towards the end," as she hands him a second picture.

Seeley takes it from her. He looks at it and says nothing. He just stares at the picture in shock. The face that looks back at him is fearful, and vulnerable. After all a picture is worth a thousand words, and he didn't need a thousand words to explain this picture to him. He just needed one.

"Did he do this to you?"

Her eyes don't meet his. The answer eventually comes from her lips, "Yeah." She stares at the picture.

"Why didn't you just leave?"

"It's complicated,"

"Temperance everything about you is complicated. I've learned that by now,"

"I know... but this is really complicated,"

"How complicated can it be?"

"More complicated than I care for it to be,"

"Are you going to explain it to me?"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I'm just not,"

"Why?"

"Because you wouldn't understand it unless I explained the entire thing... and I just... I'm not ready to do that,"

"Why did you move in with him if he was like that?"

"I didn't know until after I moved in with him,"

"How long did you know him before you moved in with him?"

"Not long enough,"

"You only dated him for five months when did you move in with him?"

"It's complicated," she answers.

"You said that,"

She falls silent. Something else catches her attention. She looks around, and then looks at Seeley.

"Do you hear that?" she asks.

"Hear what?"

"I don't know..." she listens carefully.

He listens as well. He gets up. She stands up too. She grabs the back of his arm.

"It sounds like it's coming from outside," he tells her.

"In the hallway?"

"No... on the balcony,"

"Oh," she says quietly.

He moves quickly. She stays on his heels not wanting him to go too far. They move towards the balcony. Seeley slides open the door just as a figure jumps over the railing onto the balcony. He takes one look at Seeley and grabs the railing to climb back down. Seeley grabs him by the back of the shirt. He pulls him back.

The figure stands face to face with Temperance.

"Tell him to let me go," he begs.

"No,"

"Temperance it's not going to be pretty if he doesn't let me go,"

"Let him go Booth," she tells her partner.

Seeley just looks at her.

"Let him go," she repeats.

"Are you sure bones?"

"Yeah," she tells him.

Seeley releases him. Alex swings at Seeley. Seeley swings back. Alex knocks him to the ground. Temperance steps in. She knees him in the groin.

"Tempe that wasn't a smart move," he tells her as he comes at her.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore," she declares.

"Really?" he asks as he reaches for her neck. She grabs his hand and twists his arm behind his back. He reaches for her with his other hand. She lets go, and flips him to the ground. By this point Seeley has recovered, and is standing over Alex who is now laying on his stomach. They watch as his face grows red.

"That was a stupid move Tempe,"

She says nothing to him as he pushes himself onto all fours. As he starts to get up she kicks him hard in the ribs knocking the air out of him. He clutches his chest and waits for the air to return. Finally he stumbles to his feet. He stares at Temperance with rage in his eyes.

"That was a mistake," he tells her.

"So were a lot of things,"

"You're going to pay for that," he threatens.

"Alex Marshall you're under arrest for burglary, and assault,"

"Assault? Of who? She assaulted me,"

"He's a federal agent," she tells him.

"Shit," he curses as Seeley slaps the cuffs on him.

He pushes Alex through the door. They leave the apartment and head for the FBI building. In the car Seeley can't help but ask.

"So why did you come here to harass her?"

"I just wanted to apologize,"

"You have a funny way of showing it,"

"She wouldn't see me the other day. I didn't have a choice,"

"You broke into her apartment,"

"I needed to apologize,"

"Don't believe him he's never apologized in his life," Temperance tells Seeley.

"Tempe you have to believe me I am sorry. I'm sorry about the way things ended between us. I didn't mean to hurt me,"

"Alex I've heard this speech more than once. I may have bought it at twenty... but I'm not going to buy it now,"

"I made one mistake and you just walked out on us,"

"You made more than one mistake,"

"You should have forgiven me. Don't our vows mean anything?"

"What part are you talking about?" she questions forgetting about Seeley sitting next to her."The part about for better or worse? Or the part about in sickness in and health? I remember, but it didn't mean that you got a free pass to do what you did,"

"It was an accident,"

"No it wasn't. Just like throwing me into a wall wasn't an accident, and giving me a black eye wasn't an accident. You're sick you need help. I don't know why you're here,"

"I want you back,"

"That's not going to happen,"

"Why not?"

"You're my wife," he reminds her.

Seeley looks in his mirror. He shakes his head and then asks, "What?"

"Didn't Tempe tell you? She's my wife," Alex tells Seeley.

"I'm not your wife,"

"Not anymore... but you should be. You should have never left me,"

"I didn't have a choice,"

"Yes you did,"

"You almost killed me,"

"Wait," Seeley tries to catch up, "You two are married?"

"We were but Tempe walked out,"

"I had every right to walk out,"

"We had a few problems, but you should have stayed and tried to work it out,"

"I did try. You're the one who didn't want to be married,"

"That isn't true,"

"Oh so that's why you slept with your tutor, and one of your professors, and her T.A. and countless other women while we were married,"

"Tempe..."

"Shut up," she screams.

There is silence.

"Can you drop me off at the Jeffersonian?" she questions Seeley.

"Yeah," he answers.


	6. Part of the story

Seeley has Angela meet them in the parking lot. She escorts Temperance into the building.

"What happened?" Angela asks as Temperance unlocks her office.

"Nothing,"

"It didn't sound like nothing. Seeley seemed pretty freaked on the phone,"

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I flew," she jokes.

"You had your car,"

"Ok. I sped... but only a little bit,"

"How much is a little bit?"

"It isn't important. What is important is that your partner is very concerned about you and frankly so am I,"

"I'm fine,"

"You don't seem fine,"

Temperance rolls her eyes as she sits down on the couch.

"Sweetie please just let me in,"

Temperance's head falls into her hands.

"Please," Angela begs.

"Ok," she agrees reluctantly as she removes her hands, and sits up.

"How long were you with this guy?"

"Thirteen months... which was twelve and a half too long,"

"I thought that you only dated him for five months,"

"I did,"

"What am I missing?"

She thinks back to that day. She takes a deep breath, and then begins to explain. "We started going out in December. Things went really well. I really liked him, and I was naive,"

"Ok,"

"One day in May after finishing with finals we were at his apartment. We were eating pizza and talking. He went into the kitchen do refill our drinks. When he came back he didn't have any drinks. I asked him about it, and then he got on one knee and asked me to marry him," she explains.

"So what did you say?"

"I told him yes,"

"Right away?"

"Yeah,"

"You didn't even think about it?"

"No. I should have, but I didn't,"

"How long before you got married?"

"Two days later,"

"What happened?"

"He changed the second that we got married. I couldn't seem to do anything right. Nothing was ever good enough. Things really got heated in June,"

"Why?"

"Because I decided to go to the movies with a couple of friends,"

"Uh huh,"

"We decided to go out for coffee after the movies. When I got home flew off the handle. He asked me why I was late. I explained it to him, but he didn't believe me. He accused me of cheating, and then... things went downhill from there,"

"What do you mean?"

"He just went off. He started throwing things, and breaking things..." she parts her hair, and bends her head for Angela to see.

Angela studies it. "Is that a scar?" she asks.

"Yeah. It took 31 stitches,"

"What happened?"

"He threw a beerstein at me,"

"Ow,"

"That was at the end,"

"What do you mean at the end,"

"That was after he had screamed at me, pulled my hair, and slammed me against the wall,"

"So why didn't you leave him?"

"When he hit me with the beerstein and I started to bleed everywhere he cooled off. He drove me to the hospital. He stayed with me, and apologized. The next morning when I woke up he brought me breakfast in bed, and he bought me roses,"

"Why didn't you ever tell me about him?"

"Because I try to erase his existence from my memory,"

"So this is why you don't believe in marriage?"

"I guess it probably has something to do with it,"

"So why did you end up leaving him?"

"It's a long story,"

"I've got all night,"

"I know,"

"So was it always like that?"

"Pretty much,"

"Didn't you ever try to leave?"

"Yeah more than once. The first time was a few weeks after this. It was the first or second of July,"

"What happened?"

"I waited for him to fall asleep. While he was at work I had packed some of my clothes and some cash into a bag. I put it under the bed. I knew that I'd never get away while he was at work because he would call every hour on the hour. So I waited for him to fall asleep. I tried to be quiet. I slipped out of bed onto the floor. I was sitting against the bed with my hand under the bed searching for my bag. When I could finally feel the bag a hand came over the edge of the beg and grabbed my hair. He yanked me up. He flipped on the light and demanded to know where I was going. I lied and told him that I was going to the bathroom. He didn't believe me,"

"So what happened?"

"I ended up in the emergency room again,"

"Didn't you press charges against him? Wasn't someone suspicious?"

"I couldn't,"

"Why not?"

"I just couldn't," she thinks back to the reason, and wills herself not to cry. She pushes the memory back into the vault and looks at Angela.

"I'm exhausted," she admits.

"Ok,"

"I think I'm just going to try get some sleep while Booth is dealing with him..."

"Ok,"

"You can go home,"

"And leave you in the lab with bodies all alone?"

"Why is that bad?"

"Because you'll end up working,"

"So?"

"You're not going to work. You need to sleep,"

"Fine," she rolls here eyes.

"I'll go sit in the chair,"

"And do what? You can't sleep in the chair. It's really uncomfortable,"

"I'm fine. Just get some rest,"

"What about you?"

"I can stay awake for days,"

"Yes and then you are cranky,"

"I'm never cranky,"

"Ok, but you're not bubbly when you don't sleep,"

"You could probably use a few less bubbles,"

Temperance smiles at Angela as she situates herself on the couch.

Hours later when Seeley arrives Temperance is snoring. Angela sees him, and joins him just outside the office.

"So? How did it go with psycho?"

"It turns out that he had a warrant out for his arrest,"

"For what?"

"Assaulting his wife,"

Angela looks at him puzzled.

"Kelly Marshall. They've been married since 2000,"

"Oh,"

"She was married to him," he tells her.

"I know,"

"I just can't believe that bones was ever married, especially to a guy like him,"

"It explains her harsh feelings towards marriage,"

"What do you think he did to her?"

"Something terrible. I knew that he had a temper, and that he hurt her,"

"Physically?"

She nods.

"But?"

"I got some details out of her, but I still don't think that I've got the whole story,"

"What makes you think that?"

"When I asked her what made her finally leave him she told me that it was a long story,"

"Everything is so complicated with her,"

"I know,"

"So what do you think made her leave?"

"He was terrible to her. I know that, but she still didn't leave him. There was a reason that she stayed and I don't know what it was,"

"Do you think that it has anything to do with why she left?"

"Probably,"

"How long ago did she fall asleep?"

"Maybe an hour ago,"

"You can go home. I'll stay with her,"

"No I need you to look into this,"

"I don't know what there is to look into,"

"There's something that we're missing,"

"He said that he just wanted her to forgive him,"

"I'm sure that's why he broke into her apartment,"

"I'll go see what I can find out," he tells her.

"Thanks Booth,"

"Don't thank me yet,"


	7. The Monster in The Story

Angela had long since dozed off in the chair when the sound of someone crying jolts her back into reality. She opens her eyes, and looks around. She sees Temperance. The blanket is on the floor and her face is flushed. She cries in her sleep. Angela slides out of the chair and makes her way to the couch. She stands over Temperance and gently places a hand on her shoulder. She gently shakes her with hopes of waking her. The crying ceases and Temperance's eyes open. She looks up at Angela and then sits up.

"Bad dream?" Angela questions.

"It wasn't a dream," she replies simply.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"No,"

"Why have you been so secretive about this? What is so bad that you can't tell me?"

"There are some things in my past that I've fought very hard to forget, and no matter how hard I try they're always there. Even so I don't want to talk about it,"

"Maybe it would help to get things off your chest,"

"Not this,"

"Why?"

"I don't want to have to deal with it all over again,"

"Why?"

"It was too hard the first time,"

"What happened? What you made you leave him?"

"He's a monster,"

"I got that much. I also understand that you stayed for some reason and left for a reason too. Neither of which you've told me,"

"I know,"

"Are you going to?"

"No,"

"Will you tell Booth?"

"No... where is Booth? Did he go home?"

"No he had some stuff to take care of,"

Temperance cocks her head and stares at Angela. "Don't," she warns.

"I'm not doing anything,"

"Don't make him go digging,"

"Why?"

"Because sometimes you find things that you don't want to when you go digging,"

"Like what?"

"Darkness,"

"What kind of darkness?"

She shakes her head. "A darkness that will consume you if you aren't careful,"

"Is that what happened?"

"What?"

"Did whatever it is consume you like darkness?"

"Something like that,"

"You've got to open up eventually,"

"I can't. I can't go back. I can only go forward,"

"Why?"

"I don't know if I can handle going back,"

"You're not twenty anymore Bren,"

"I know,"

"But?"

"It doesn't matter how old I am it doesn't change what happened,"

"You have to face your past eventually,"

"I know that,"

"But?"

"But I can't,"

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't want to face my past. I'd prefer that my past stay just that,"

"By not recognizing your past you can't go on with your future,"

"You're not going to get this out of me,"

"Why?"

"I can't tell you,"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Angela you know that I do,"

"Then what's the problem?"

"You can only understand why I don't want to tell you if I did,"

"So you're going to tell me?"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I'm just not comfortable discussing it,"

"Bren how bad can it be?"

"Think of the worst case scenario and then make it worse,"

"That's impossible,"

"I know, but that's the way I felt,"

"How did you let this guy have so much control over you?"

"I trusted him and I think that for a while he loved me. He just never seemed to be able to control his temper,"

"Did you love him?"

"I loved him. I love him blindly, and stupidly until I realized that no matter what I did or how hard I tried to please him I just couldn't. I couldn't change who he was... what he was,"

"Which was what?"

"His whole life he had whatever he wanted. People did whatever he asked them to without ever questioning him. I wasn't willing to play his games,"

"So you didn't do what he asked of you,"

"I did for the most part,"

"But not always,"

"No not always. There are some things that I just wasn't willing to give in on,"

"Like what?"

"Quitting school would be one example,"

"Why would he want you to quit school?"

"He wanted me to be able to keep tabs on me. He wanted to make sure that no one else looked at me, and that I didn't look at anyone else,"

"What a jerk,"

"He's not a jerk he's a monster,"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because that's what he is,"

"How?"

"You wouldn't understand,"

"I would,"

"Maybe, but I doubt it. I still can't quite wrap my brain around what happened. I never thought that he could be so angry,"

"What happened? Just tell me the basics of it,"

"He came home one night and I wasn't there. I went to study at the library. I had a huge test the next week and I really wanted to ace it,"

"So what happened?"

"I got home later than I expected. I left him a note telling him that I would be home around ten, but there was a big storm, and I didn't have a car. I had to walk across campus, up a hill, and another couple of blocks to the apartment so I waited it out. I got home about ten after midnight. And he flew off the handle. Words were exchanged and the rest was all pretty much a blur,"

"So then you left him?"

"Not exactly. I moved out, but he wasn't there anymore,"

"Where did he go?"

"He went to stay in the Smoky Mountains for a while,"

"Why?"

"Like I said it's a long story,"

"Am I ever going to get to hear it?"

"Maybe on your deathbed,"

"You think I'm going to die first?"

"No. I'll tell you if I go first,"

"What if one of us dies suddenly?"

"I'll tell you... eventually,"

"Are you sure?"

"No,"

"Are you going to tell me at some point?"

"I'm going to try," she answers.

"Ok," Angela agrees as agent Booth appears.

"Morning ladies," he beams as he comes in. He sits down next to Temperance without asking permission. He sits a beverage carrier on the coffee table. He pulls out a cup and hands it to Angela. She excepts the warm cup of liquid energy without qualms. Seeley waves a cup in front of Temperance's face. She grabs it and brings it to her lips. After a sip, and a deep breath she rubs her eyes. She turns to her partner and asks him.

"What time is it?"

"Six fifteen,"

"So where did you go?"

"I had a few things to check out,"

"Like what? We don't have any cases,"

"I was doing a favor for a friend of mine,"

"You were checking up on me,"

"Hey Bones can we go to Chicago?"

"Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"Because I'd like to,"

"No," she answers flatly.

"Fine," he relents.

"What were you doing?" Temperance asks.

"I told you,"

"I want to know what specifically you were doing,"

"I was doing research,"

"On what?"

"A book," he lies.

"About what?"

"That's classified information,"

"So is my personal life. Please just back off,"

"I just want to help," he admits.

"Well don't. I don't want help. I just want him to go away,"

"He's going to prison for a while,"

"For what?"

"Assaulting his estranged wife Kelly. He's been charged with tax evasion, as well as a whole other list of stuff,"

"So he's not getting out?"

"Not for a very long time,"

"Good he deserves it,"

"You know Caroline is going to want to talk to you,"

"About what?"

"She's going to talk to you,"

"Why?"

"She needs to know things in order to prosecute the hell out of his ass,"


	8. Denial and Explosions

"Is his father still alive?" she questions.

"No he died two years ago which is the same time Alex split with his life,"

"That's great," she vents.

"What do you mean?"

"He won't spend a day in prison. His lawyers will get him off. His lawyers will make it all disappear,"

"How?"

"Bribes..."

"Is that why there aren't any records?"

"Of what?"

"You pressing charges against him?"

"I had a restraining order against him,"

"I found that, but I found no police reports,"

"Because money talks,"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Any time he ever got in trouble his father would throw money at it. He got caught for drinking and driving so his dad promised the police department a new police cruiser to make it go away. That's how they deal with things,"

"So fight fire with fire,"

"What do you mean?"

"You've got money make sure that doesn't happen,"

"I don't have nearly as much money as he does,"

"How do you know?"

"Their family fortune was estimated to be six hundred million, in 1996,"

"Did he get all of it?"

"He got a third of it,"

"Oh,"

"I don't want to do this,"

"Do what?"

"I don't want to have to deal with this,"

"Bones you can't run away from your problems,"

"Why not?"

"Because that isn't the kind of person you are,"

"I can't go through this again,"

"Is there anything that you know of that will ensure that he'll stay in prison?"

"Yes," she answers.

"Ok tell me,"

"I can't,"

"What?"

"I won't tell you,"

"Why not?"

"I just won't,"

"Whose side are you on?"

"Seeley please just stop. Don't pursue this,"

"Why?"

"If you'd like to continue to work with me then you'll stop,"

"Temperance I just want to make this right,"

"You can't make this right,"

"Let me try,"

"If you knew what I knew... if you knew who he was then you wouldn't question it,"

"Sweetie just let us help you,"

"I don't think that you can,"

"What really happened?"

"I can't tell you," she repeats for the trillionth time.

"Bones I just want to keep you safe..."

"How are you going to do that? Short of hiring armored guards I don't think that you can,"

"Why can't I?"

"He found me,"

"I don't know that you made it difficult,"

"He came into my home when I wasn't there. If I hadn't been with you my body would be laying on a slab in the morgue right now. You would be investigating _my_ murder,"

"I know that he's violent, but why would he want to kill you?" Angela asks.

"Because I'm the only who could put him where he belongs. I'm the only who could ever bring him down. I'm the only other person in the world who knows what happened that night,"

"Let us help you,"

"I don't want your help. I don't want your sympathy I just want to get back to my life. The life I had without him in it,"

"I'm going to find out,"

"You can try," she tells him.

"Sweetie just let us in,"

"No," she tells them.

"Fine," they relent.

Angela heads for the door. Seeley follows closely.

"Why don't you get some more rest? We're not going to leave," he promises.

"I'm rested,"

"Please Temperance,"

"No," she insists.

As she joins them outside her office Cam is walking in.

"What are you doing here so early Camille?" Seeley quizzes.

"I could ask the three of you the same,"

"It's been a long night," he answers simply.

"Well it's going to be a long day,"

"Why?" Angela questions suspiciously.

"We've got a crime scene to go to,"

"What kind of crime scene?" Seeley questions.

"An explosion,"

"What kind of an explosion?" Temperance questions in her foul mood.

"The explosion of a meth lab," she answers.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Do you remember what happened the last time these two were around meth?"

"She wasn't here then," Angela reminds him.

"Well let's just say they inhaled,"

"There isn't anything left to inhale here," she says dryly.

"How many?"

"They took one to the hospital. According to witnesses there were at least three people in the house, if not more. The neighbors weren't sure because people are in and out all day,"

"Let's roll," Seeley suggests.

When they arrive they find what used to be a home. The firemen lead them around carefully. They explain where they can and cannot go.

"Well Bones let's find these people,"

"This is a mess," she tells them.

"As messy as your past?"

"Booth do not bring that up,"

"Bring what up?" Cam questions.

"Nothing," she lies as she looks around her.

"Where are we?"

"I think that is was the kitchen," Seeley answers.

"What makes you say that?"

"In the corner there is what is left of a stove, and possibly a refrigerator,"

Temperance walks over to the corner where Seeley is pointing. She sees something that catches her eyes.

She surveys her surroundings and finds a familiar face, "Nelson?" she calls out.

A fireman walks over her.

"Nice to see you again Dr. Brennan,"

"Can you do me a favor?" she asks.

"Yes," he answers.

"Can you move this stove? I need you to lift it up and move it out of the way,"

"Sure," he replies.

With no problem he lifts the burnt, nearly unrecognizable stove. He moves it out onto the lawn, which happens to be a few feet away from the ruble. Cam and Seeley stare at her as she kneels down.

"What do you have?" Cam questions.

"Female, Eighteen to twenty four,"

"Race?"

"I'm not sure at this point," Temperance answers.

By noon they have located two other bodies, and have them loaded for transport. They're taking a break to hydrate when Nelson comes up to them.

"Dr. Brennan I've got something that I think you're going to want to see,"

"Ok,"

"I need you to put on some sort of protective gear,"

"Why?"

"What we found is in the basement. I don't want to risk something falling and hitting you,"

"Ok,"

She conjures up a hard hat. She carefully follows Nelson into the basement. He points her towards the center of a room. The basement looks mostly intact in comparison with the upstairs. Everything is charred, but nothing beyond recognition. In the center of the room she sees what he's talking about under a fallen beam. She bends down to examine it. He has someone remove the beam allowing her to work.

"Will you get me a body bag? A small one?" she asks him nicely.

He returns moments later with a body bag, and some plastic. She carefully moves the body from the floor into the body bag. She carefully returns upstairs with the bag.

"What did you find?" they ask her.

"An infant. Judging by the size I would say that it was a neonate," she tells them.

"How premature?"

"It was maybe thirty two weeks at most,"


	9. Trauma

Seeley agrees to stay with her for the night. She falls asleep quickly after a warm bath. She can hear the heat lightning as she drifts off to sleep.

She begins to dream about a similar night.

_She holds onto her books tightly as she reaches the door. She pulls a key out of her pocket. Before she can try it the door swings open and a belligerent man stands before her. He rips the books out of her hand and throws them to the ground. He pulls her inside and slams the door. He locks it behind her. She tries to get away from him but he grabs her by the back of the head. He spins her around and pushes her against the door._

"_Please don't do this," she begs._

"_Where were you?"_

"_I was at the library,"_

"_Why didn't you come home when you said you were going to?"_

"_If you were so worried about me why didn't you come pick me up?"_

"_How did I know you were actually at the library?"_

"_Because that's where I told you I was,"_

"_I'm so sick of this shit,"_

"_You're sick of it?"_

"_Temperance don't try my patience tonight,"_

"_Do not do this. You're going to regret it,"_

"_I told you that I didn't want this, and you just didn't listen to me. I still don't want it. You're mine... all mine,"_

"_Please just let me go to bed. I'm tired,"_

"_Shut up," he screams._

"_Why are you doing this?" she quivers._

"_Because I own you. You're mine and you still don't listen to what I say,"_

"_What are you going to do about it? Beat me to a pulp again? Have another emergency room visit? Don't you think that people are starting to get suspicious?"_

_He grabs her by the throat. He squeezes until she can't breath. She turns bright red. He pushes her to the floor as he lets go. She struggles for air while on all fours. _

"_I told you that I did not want this. It's going to ruin everything. You will do what I say,"_

"_I get to have a choice in this,"_

"_Not if you want to stay with me,"_

"_I don't want to stay with you. Not if it's going to be like this. It's not healthy. I'm leaving," she tells him as she attempts to get up. She takes a steel-toed boot to the T-5 rib. She once again struggles for air. She regains her breath it's shaky but she pleads, "Please don't do this."_

_He kicks her again. This time he kicks her in the hip. She rolls to the other side. She lays still on the floor._

"_I'll do whatever you want me to just stop," she begs._

"_I know that you're lying," he tells her._

_She was lying but she didn't think that he knew. She pushes herself up. As she stands the blood rushes to her head. Her ribs, and hip throb. She moves towards him unsteadily. She punches him in the face as hard as she can. She makes it to the door. She begins to unlock it when he grabs her and throws her back onto the floor._

"_I want it out of you," he tells her._

_She tries to do something, but can't. He kicks her once, twice... at least five times. In serious pain she rolls over. He kicks again this time nailing her in the back. _

"_Stop!" she insists._

_He does only because of her shouting._

"_Are you planning on killing me?" she asks._

_He says nothing he just stares at her. _

"_Are you? If you're going to do it get it over with," she screams._

_He suddenly realizes what he's done. _

"_Tempe I'm so sorry I didn't mean it," he insists. _

_He reaches down to help her up. She smacks his hand away. She gets to her feet on her own. She gets to the door and unlatches it without him doing anything. She stumbles into the hallway. She eventually makes it out of the building onto the street. As she walks past the building the cold rain starts beating on her face. The freezing rain mixes with the tears that roll down her face. When she gets to the end of the block a woman spots her. She pulls over. She pops the car in park and gets out. She makes her way over to Temperance._

"_Are you ok?" she asks._

_Temperance shakes her head as she cries._

"_Lets get you to the hospital," she suggests after seeing the bruising on Temperance's throat._

She wakes up in a cold sweat. She looks around and realizes where she is. She listens carefully. She hears the clock on the wall, the thunder, and the rain beating on her window. She hears her own covers rustle, and someone else snoring. She groggily gets out of bed and follows the snoring to the source. She finds Seeley in the guest bedroom. He wakes up the instant she steps into the room. He turns on the light, and sits up. She sits on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. He says nothing for a while as she sobs.

"Are you ok?"

"No," she states the obvious.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"No," she tells him.

"Please let me in Temperance,"

She gets up and leaves the room without notice. He debates with himself about going after her, but before he can make a decision she returns. She throws a book on his bed.

"What you're looking for is in there," she tells him as she points at the Chemistry text book laying on the bed.

He says nothing. He begins thumbing through the pages. The first thing he encounters is a marriage certificate. He looks up at her. She nods, and he unfolds the paper and begins to read it to himself. He places it back in the book.

"Are you sure that you're ready to do this,"

She thinks quietly for a while. She shakes her head. He nods, and shuts the book. He hands the book back to her. She returns it to the book case and then shuffles back to the guest room. He sits there waiting on her.

"Do you want to stay in here with me?" he asks graciously.

"Is that ok?" she wonders.

He nods and peels back the covers. She crawls in bed next to him. He turns off the light and joins her under the covers. He rolls over to face her. She buries her face in his chest. He gently drapes his arm over her.

The following morning they go to work as usual. She finishes with all of the adult victims and is left only with the infant. She stands over the infant quietly. Cam comes in and stands next to her.

"Well?"

"This baby is premature,"

"How long do you think it was alive?"

"I can't be sure, but I'd say not very long. I would estimate the baby to have been anywhere from thirty to thirty two weeks,"

"Babies can survive out of the womb at that point can't they?"

"With the help of technology. I doubt this baby would live very long without help,"

"Should I have hospital records checked?"

"You can, but you would here about a premature baby being abducted from a hospital,"

"True. What are you thinking?"

"That I really hate my job,"

"About the baby," Cam clairifies.

"Oh. Well I would say that the baby was born at home. Have you gotten the toxicology report done yet?"

"Yes,"

"Positive for methamphetamine?"

"No. The baby didn't test positive for any drugs,"

"Everyone in the house tested positive except for the woman you found under the stove,"

"She hadn't given birth,"

"What if she had?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if something went wrong and someone performed an emergency c-section on her,"

"Why would they do that?"

"I don't know, but it's an explanation,"

"What's the alternative?"

"The mother of this baby is out there somewhere,"

"Maybe the mother of this baby was young. It would explain the prematurity of the baby,"

"When the baby was born she freaked out, and left. Was the baby dead before the fire?"

"I'm not sure,"

"But it's possible?"

"Anything is possible,"

"Did you find anything around the baby?"

"A few cotton fibers,"

"Consistent with being wrapped in something?"

"No, more like transfer,"

"There was no one else in that basement. It doesn't make sense,"

"Why would they leave the baby down there to die?"

"Maybe it was already dead,"

"She," Temperance corrects.

"Maybe she was already dead,"

"Could be," Temperance answers trying to keep her composure.

"Are you ok Dr. Brennan?"

"Yeah," she lies.

"Are you sure?"

"I just... I don't like dealing with infants,"

"They kids are always the hardest,"

"Yeah," she nods in agreement.

"If you find anything else let me know,"

"Oh can you run the baby's DNA against the other people found in the fire?"

"Yeah," Cam agrees.

The second that Cam leaves Temperance's knees nearly buckle. She chokes back tears as Angela comes up to her.

"You ok?"

Temperance swallows hard and then answers, "Yeah,"

"Bren don't lie,"

"I just hate this case,"

"Because of the baby?"

"Because of everything,"

"What do you mean?"

"Something just isn't right. We found the baby in the basement alone. It wasn't wrapped in anything, and I don't know if it was dead before or after the fire,"

"How big would this baby have been alive?"

"Somewhere between two and three pounds,"

"Why didn't they just take it to the hospital?"

"I don't know,"

"What was the cause of death on the baby?"

"There is no clear cause of death. There aren't any organs, just charred bone,"

"What if the fire was a set up?"

"The meth lab exploded,"

"Are we sure? I mean they found the chemicals to make it but how do we know the explosion wasn't caused by something else?"

"Can you run a scenario for me?"

"Sure what?"

"Using the size of the base, and the point of origin figure out if there is a possibility that something else caused the explosion,"

"Ok," she agrees.


	10. Nightmares, and sweet talks

She stays at the Jeffersonian late to finish with her work. She sits in her office writing out reports. The next thing she knows she's back there. She is reliving that night again.

"_What happened to you?" the woman asks._

"_My... it was an accident," she answers as her throat burns._

"_Who did this to you?"_

"_It was an accident," even as she said it she didn't believe it. As she takes labored breaths she realizes the stillness. She feels nothing, no movement only her own breathing. She maintains her composure. She stares out the window of the car. The woman doesn't press. Ten minutes later they arrive at the hospital._

"_Do you want me to go in with you?" The woman asks kindly as she pulls up to the emergency room doors._

"_No. I'll be fine. Thanks though," she tries to smile but can't._

"_Are you sure that you'll be ok?"_

"_Yeah," she answers before throwing the door of the car shut._

"Bones,"

She realizes that her head is laying on a keyboard. She lifts her head and opens her eyes. She looks at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you,"

"Why?"

"You didn't answer your phone,"

"What time is it?"

"It's after midnight,"

"Why would you call me after midnight?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were ok, and I thought that maybe you could go for a bite to eat,"

"Is that how you solve all of your problems?"

"With what?"

"With food?"

"No, but thinking on an empty stomach can be dangerous,"

"It can?"

"Yes very dangerous,"

"I didn't know,"

"Why don't we go get something to eat?"

"I have case reports to finish,"

"I think that they can wait until morning,"

"But..."

"Come on," he extends a hand.

She rolls her eyes, and allows him to pull her up out of her chair. She grabs her stuff and he waits in the door way for her. She flips off the lights and follows him out the door. Once out the door she turns around and locks it behind her.

They wind up at her place with pizza.

"Do you ever drink beer?" he asks as he sits on her couch.

"I don't like beer,"

"So why do you buy it?"

"In case someone comes over and wants one,"

"But you don't drink it?"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I just don't like the taste of it,"

"Probably because the kind you buy tastes like earwax,"

"Do you want a beer?"

"No do you have any soda?"

"Uh huh it's on the bottom shelf," she tells him.

"Do you want one?" he asks as he gets up.

"Sure,"

He returns to the room with two sodas. He sits one in front of her and holds onto the other as he joins her on the couch. She hands him a napkin.

"What's this for?"

"Your pizza,"

"Oh," he answers as she flips open the lid of the pizza box.

They quietly eat their pizza. After finishing their pizza there is an awkward silence.

He finally breaks the silence, "How did you end up with a guy like that?"

She takes a deep breath and thinks for a minute she finally formulates an answer, "He wasn't always so bad. I think that he loved me. The biggest mistake I made was marrying him. He changed when we got married. Up until then things were really good between us,"

"So you regret marrying him?"

"There is no anthropological place for regret," she answers.

"You obviously regret it, if you didn't you would be more open minded towards marriage,"

"I was young and I thought that it was how things were supposed to work. I was needy I guess. I needed someone who belonged to me I wanted to have someone in my life who loved me. For a very long time I didn't have that. When I met him I was fooled,"

"How?"

"He was sweet to me. He'd write me notes, and make me breakfast. He treated me really good,"

"He beat you,"

"When we were first together he wasn't like that..."

"What happened that set him off?"

"I don't know. He thought that I was his property and that anyone that stood between him and me should be destroyed,"

"I still can't get past the fact that you were married,"

"Why?"

"Because you're always going on about how it's an antiquated ritual,"

"It is,"

"Didn't you tell me that infinity goes both ways?"

"Meaning what?"

"You're convinced that marriage is an antiquated ritual that it isn't necessary,"

"Yes,"

"Maybe some people are meant to be married,"

"I guess,"

"But?"

"It's just not for me. I wouldn't do it over again,"

"You just didn't have the right kind of person. You need a man who sees past all of your flaws, and loves you anyway,"

"You're saying that love can fix any problems that occur in a relationship?"

"When it's real and when it's pure? Yeah most definitely,"

"How?"

"If you truly love someone you'll be able to forgive them for their flaws,"

"Are you saying that I didn't love him?"

"That's not at all what I'm saying. He's a monster. You should have left him long before you did,"

"I should have but I just didn't know how,"

"But you loved him didn't you?"

"I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't,"

"Did you have a honeymoon?"

"We went to Aruba,"

"For how long?"

"A week,"

"Was it nice?"

"It was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous but I guess I should have taken the last day as a sign,"

"You don't believe in signs,"

"I will admit that some times I should go with my feelings instead of going with my head,"

"Why?"

"As we were leaving a hurricane was blowing in,"

"So it was symbolic? Up until then things in your relationship had been like the beautiful weather... it was perfect. Then when you left things were like a hurricane. After you left you were tossed around as if you were in a hurricane, because you were in a relationship in which you couldn't find a way out,"

"Something like that," she smiles at his description.

"But you're telling me that if you found the right person you wouldn't marry them?"

"Being married is just a piece of paper. It's symbolic it doesn't really mean anything,"

"You're lying. You don't even believe yourself. I think that Temperance Brennan is secretly a romantic,"

"I am not," she scoffs.

"You totally are,"

"I would never get married again,"

"Never ever?"

"Never,"

"Are you completely sure?"

"You've never been married,"

"Your point?"

"After the marriage that I had you wouldn't want to be,"

"But all marriages aren't like that," he promises.

"I wouldn't care to test that hypothesis and have it turn out to be wrong,"

"Sometimes you've just got to take a chance Temperance,"

"I take chances,"

"When?"

"I took a chance on you,"

"What?"

"I took a chance on you by being your partner,"

"No I took a chance on you,"

"I can do my job without you,"

"Ok, maybe you took a little chance with me,"

"You think?"

"Yeah," she smiles as he sits uncomfortably close to her.

"Sometimes I wish that you weren't my partner,"

"Why? Do you hate it that much?"

"No. I don't mind being your partner,"

"Then why would you say that?"

"Never mind I've said too much,"

"No tell me,"

"Sometimes I wonder what things would be like if we weren't partners," he tells her.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind,"

"Seeley tell me,"

"I wonder if we could be together if we weren't partners,"

She lifts her head up to look him in the eyes. She finds her face unusually close to his. She can feel him breath and can nearly taste his lips. She takes a deep breath and scoots back.

"Don't be silly," she smiles.


	11. Bothersome, and Breaking in

"Bones get up!" he screeches.

She looks around. "Why are you in my bed?"

"I brought you to bed last night."

"Again I ask why are you in my bed?"

"I was too drunk to make it any further."

"Did we...."

"No," he answers.

"Oh."

"Hurry up and get dressed we're going to be late," he tells her. She looks at the clock and her eyes bug out of her head. "Shit," she curses as she rolls out of bed.

They arrive at the Jeffersonian ten minutes later than usual. Angela waits on them on the platform. She taps her foot, and clears her throat as they approach.

"What?" Temperance asks as she throws her hair into a pony tail.

"Doing a walk of shame are we?"

"I don't know what that means," Temperance tells her.

"Booth why are you wearing the same clothes that you wore yesterday?"

"Angela it's not really any of your business," he tells her.

"Did you two hook up?" she questions.

"No. We definitely didn't hook up," Temperance answers.

"If you say so," she rolls her eyes.

"Why are you up here? Don't you have work to do?" Temperance eyes her.

"Yes but I was waiting on you."

"For what?"

"To tell you that Sweets is waiting on the two of you in your office," she tells them.

"Hey Bones why don't we go get some doughnuts?"

"Are you trying to avoid him?"

"Like the plague," he chuckles lightly and nervously.

"If we can get out of her without him noticing I think that we should. I don't really want to talk to him this morning either."

"You guys better bring something back for Cam," Angela reminds.

Seeley nods as he and Temperance scurry down the stairs of the platform.

They return forty-five minutes later and find much to their relief that Sweets has left. On the other hand they find that Cam is waiting on them in Tempeance's office.

"Where have the two of you been?" she asks.

"We were avoiding Sweets," Temperance answers.

"So you just left?"

"Here," Seeley extends a bag to her.

"What is it?"

"A doughnut," he tells her.

"You think a doughnut will make up for being late?"

"Well Cam we weren't technically late. We came in saw Sweets and headed for the next exit."

"Fine but you better work your asses off today."

"Yes ma'am," he promises.

She leaves them. The second she leaves the room. He looks over at Temperance.

"You really told her," Temperance smiles.

"Shut up Bones we have work to do."

"Yeah and I'm trying to avoid it."

"What? Temperance Brennan is trying to avoid work?"

"Today I am."

"I see."

"Crap I forgot to ask Cam about the baby."

"What baby?"

"If the baby from the explosion died before or after."

"Go," he smiles.

She leaves the room. When she enters Cam's office she realizes that Cam is anticipating her visit.

"Yes Dr. Brennan?"

"Did you..."

"Before."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes there were fibers lodged in the infant's throat."

"So she was suffocated?"

"Yes. I sent the fibers to Hodgins."

"And?"

"I just sent them to Hodgins."

"Oh," she acknowledges.

"Dr. Brennan?"

"Yes?"

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing why?"

"I've just heard that you've had some stuff going on in your personal life."

"What stuff?"

"An ex of some sort."

"Yeah."

"Are you sure that's all that's bothering you?"

"Yes," she lies rather convincingly.

She leaves Cam's office and heads to talk to Angela.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course sweetie what's on your mind?"

"This case."

"What about it?"

"The whole thing just really bothers me."

"Why?"

"Cam just told me that the baby was dead before the fire."

"You said that it was premature though couldn't that have caused the death?"

"It could have but it's much more likely that the fibers lodged in it's throat had something to do with it."

"That's just sick."

"How can someone murder an innocent baby?"

"How do people murder other people period?"

She doesn't say anything.

"This case has bothered you from the beginning hasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"We don't know anything about this baby. We've identified all of the other victims. We've told their families. Even when we find out who this baby is there might not be anyone who cares. The people that we have to discuss the death of this child with–her family–are our most likely suspects."

"I know Bren."

"I just don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"Why you would bring a child into the world if you didn't want it. Why would you have a child and then turn around and kill it? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe something went wrong. An angry husband, or boyfriend, or someone strung out on drugs. It could have been an accident."

"It doesn't matter."

"Have you ever felt like you could kill someone?"

"Where did that come from?"

"I was just wondering if you've ever been angry enough to feel like you could kill someone."

"Once."

"But you didn't do it?"

"Of course not,"

"Why not?"

"Because no matter how angry I get, or what someone did to make me that angry I'm not willing to take their life."

"Why?"

"Because no matter how horrible someone is I don't get to be in charge of rather or not they get to live."

"But you could be."

"But I'm not."

"Are you sure that you're ok?"

She just looks at Angela.

"What are you thinking?" Angela questions.

"Nothing."

"You were thinking something what was it?"

"It was nothing."

"Bren what is going on with you?"

"Do you ever wonder if what you believe to be true might not be?"

"Sure why?"

"I don't know this whole situation has just gotten me thinking."

"What situation? The case?"

"Not that case."

"The crazy ex?"

"Yeah."

"Don't let it get to you. He doesn't control you anymore. He can't."

"Sometimes I feel like he still can."

"But he can't."

"I know that rationally."

"But your heart isn't sure that it believes you."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I'm going to go get to work. I guess that I've put it off long enough."

"Ok," Angela smiles.

"Are you sure that she's not going to know we were in here?"

"How would she Angela?"

"I don't know. I just feel guilty. We're breaking into her apartment."

"No we're not. I have a key," he tells her as he unlocks the door to Temperance's apartment.

He opens the door. They shuffle in. He moves over to the security alarm and punches in the code.

"How do you know the code?"

"She's not very creative when it comes to passwords," he tells her.

"What am I looking for?" Angela asks.

"A blue Chemistry book."

"Don't you think that we're invading her privacy?"

"She'll get over it."

"What if she doesn't?"

"She will."

Angela pulls the book from the shelf.

"Remember where it is," he tells her.

"I will."

"I'm going to see what secrets these other books hide while you look through that one."

"Ok," she agrees as she sits down with the book.

He files through the other books on the shelf.

"Did you read her marriage certificate?"

"Yes why?"

"I was just wondering."

"She let me see that."

"I see," Angela comments as she turns the page.

When she flips forward a couple of sections. She stares at what lies in front of her and feels her stomach knot.

"Booth we shouldn't do this. We need to go."

"Why?"

Angela closes the book and move towards him.

"Ange why are you so freaked out?"

"I think she was right. Whatever she's not telling us is none of our business."

"What did you find? It must be pretty bad."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you're freaked out and you turned ghost white."

She replaces the book on the shelf.

"Can we just go?"

"Fine," he agrees unhappily.


	12. Adressing the issue

Booth never does find out what Angela had discovered. At the end of the day Angela and Temperance are the last two at the Jeffersonian. Angela waits for everyone else to leave before she makes her move. After what seems like an eternity Booth leaves Temperance's office leaving her alone. Angela goes into Temperance's office. She shuts the door behind her. She sits down on the couch and watches as Temperance types.

"Can I help you?" Temperance asks in a slightly irritated manner after a twelve hour work day.

"Bren... sweetie we need to talk," she announces.

"Can you talk while I finish this?"

"No I need to talk to you face to face. Could you come over here please?"

Temperance rolls her eyes, sighs and pushes out of her chair. She sits down in a chair next to Angela.

"What?" she asks with a disgusted look on her face.

"I did something that I shouldn't have and I don't want you to get mad. Promise me that you won't get mad."

"Why would I get mad?"

"Just promise that you won't."

"I promise that I won't."

"Booth and I...."

"I don't like those words in the same sentence."

"We went over to your apartment during lunch."

"What?"

"It was my idea but when we got there I started to think that it was a bad idea."

"You broke into my apartment during lunch?"

"No we used a key."

"How did you disengage the security alarm?"

"Booth knows the code."

"Why did you break into my apartment?"

"Because I needed to have some answers."

"About what?"

"Booth told me about the book earlier in the day. That's why I made him go."

"So..."

"I looked in the book."

"The chemistry book?"

"Yes."

"How far did you get?"

"Farther than I should have. I never should have invaded your privacy to begin with. I'm so sorry."

"How far did you get Ange?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"I read your marriage certificate."

"There isn't anything on there that would be revealing."

"I saw the picture of you in the hospital looking like you had been though a war."

"Ok?"

"And then when I got to the next section I stopped. As soon as I saw it I wished that I hadn't. I never should have looked into something you told me not to."

Temperance says nothing she just stares blankly at Angela. Finally she decides to say something. "I wish that you would just leave this alone. You didn't have the right to look at my personal stuff."

"I know and I'm sorry but I want to talk about it."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"You could fill a novel with how much there is to talk about."

"No you couldn't because I'm not going to talk about it."

"You're being unreasonable."

"It's in my past and I don't care to relive it."

"Please just let me in. I just want to help you."

"If you wanted to help me you would have supported me, and you would have just left it alone."

"I know that's what you would have liked for me to do but..."

Temperance cuts her off, "Then why didn't you?"

"Because the look in your eyes told me that there was something more."

"Something that isn't any of your business."

"I hate seeing you like this."

"Like what?"

"Cold, abrasive, angry, and shut off. Every time something happens you can't just shut off Temperance."

"I don't shut off."

"But you don't deal with it."

"I deal with things."

"No you don't. You just compartmentalize your problems and never deal with them."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I know you know what I'm talking about."

"You don't know me."

"Well I guess that it's obvious that I don't know you as well as I think that I do. For heaven's sake you were married and..."

Temperance cuts her off again not wanting her to finish, "Does Booth know?"

"How would he know?"

"Did you tell him?"

"No of course I didn't tell him."

"Why not?"

"Because it's personal."

"So it's ok for you to invade my privacy and look at my personal stuff, but it isn't ok for him?"

"That isn't what I said."

"What are you saying?"

"Please just calm down."

"I am calm," she lies as her nostrils flare.

"You aren't calm."

"Would you be if someone close to you betrayed your trust by breaking into your home and going through personal information?"

"Please just talk to me."

"We are talking,"

"Yeah, we're talking about everything but the issue."

"There is no issue."

"There most definitely is."

"It's a non-issue."

"How?"

"Because it is."

"How can it be?"

"Angela I am begging you to drop this."

"Why?"

"Because I don't think that you really want to know the truth. You don't want to know the whole story details and all."

"Of course I do."

"No you don't."

"How can you make that judgement for me?"

"I lived it I know. It was hard enough to live. Nobody else should have to even hear about it."

"Hard? How was it hard? Are you really that cold?"

"I haven't always been like this you know."

"How would I? You've been this way as long as I've known you."

"I just can't deal with this right now."

"Why?"

"Because I can't. Just back off!"

"I'm not going to back off until we talk about this."

"There is still nothing to talk about."

"There is plenty to talk about you're just afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that you'll feel something. You'll feel something and your sense of rationality, and your professionalism it will all go out the window."

Temperance just stares at her hollowly.

"You put up walls so people won't get in, but building walls around yourself makes people want to get in more. Just like if you tell someone that they can't do something they'll want to do it. These walls that you build around yourself can only protect you so much. Eventually you're going to have to deal with everything. You're going to find that you're trapped inside your own walls. The walls that you've built up to protect yourself will have driven everyone else away, and you'll have no one to talk to when you need them."

"I don't need anyone."

"Yes you do. Everyone needs someone."

"So why don't you just ask whatever question it is that you're dying to ask?"

"I don't want to offend you."

"I think that it's a little bit late to worry about that?"

"I don't know."

"Go ahead ask it, but keep in mind that the answer probably isn't what you're expecting. I doubt that you really want to know."

"I want to know."

"Then ask."

"Why didn't you tell me that you have a kid?" she questions.

"I don't have a kid," she answers solemnly.


	13. The moment of truth in your lies

"But the picture. I saw it. It had your name on it."

"I know, but I don't have a kid."

"Does he have it? Is that why you hate him so much? I mean aside from the obvious reasons."

"No. Angela I don't have a kid," she insists.

"I don't understand."

"I know."

"I found an ultrasound picture. It had your name on it."

"I know that but I don't have a kid."

"Did you..." her eyes shift downward and she stops not wanting to process the thought.

"Did I what?"

"Did you have an abortion?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. I've never thought that you would, but I don't know you as well as I thought that I did."

"I didn't have an abortion."

"You were in college."

"I know but what is your poin?"

"You were young. Too young to be saddled with a kid. Did you give it up for adoption?"

"No. I didn't."

"Then what?"

Temperance doesn't say anything. She thinks about how to answer. Angela watches as her eyes fill with tears.

"Let's go to my apartment. I'll show you," Temperance decides.

"Ok,"Angela agrees.

When they arrive Temperance makes them both some tea. They both decided to sit on the couch. Temperance pulls the book off the shelf and makes herself comfortable.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I've never been able to stop you."

"Why chemistry?"

"What?"

"Why did you put all of your mementoes from your relationship with him in a Chemistry text book?"

"When he gave me the first picture I was studying for chemistry so then I just decided to put everything in there."

Temperance flips past the ultrasound picture to reveal a couple of pictures. One is another ultrasound picture, and the other isn't. Angela studies the ultrasound picture. Once she finishes studying it she hands it back to Temperance. Temperance hands her a second picture. She finds a younger, pregnant Temperance staring back at her. In the picture she is wearing a Northwestern sweatshirt and has two hands on her stomach. One hand is places on the top of her stomach, and one is on the bottom.

"That was a couple days before Thanksgiving. It was freezing cold, but Alex insisted on going to the football game."

"How far along were you?"

"Six months," she answers.

"You look happy," Angela adds sounding a bit surprised.

"I was," she admits.

"And what about Alex was he happy?"

"No. He wasn't happy that I was pregnant. Around everyone else he pretended to be happy about it, but he wasn't."

"How unhappy was he?"

"Incredibly unhappy. He didn't want me to have the baby. When he found out he told me to get an abortion."

"But you wouldn't?"

"No. He never went to the doctor's appointments with me. When I came home and told him that we were having a girl the next words out of his mouth were, 'Get rid of it,'. Until then he always insisted on using he, but after it turned out not to be he just used it."

"But you stayed pregnant?"

"Against his wishes, and he made sure that he reminded me of that every day."

"Did he hit you when you were pregnant?"

The shame hits her like a wave of seasickness hits a person on their first time on a boat. Her eyes well and she looks at Angela. "I knew that it was wrong. I knew that I should have left."

"So why didn't you?"

"I thought that he would change. He would always tell me that he was sorry. He told me that if I would just give the baby up for adoption that we could stay together."

"But you said that you didn't."

"No, and I told him that I wasn't going to."

"So what happened?"

"When I was eight months pregnant I came home late from the library one night. I left a note about where I was, but there had been a storm. I didn't have a car and the walk from the library to the apartment was substantial. I waited the storm out. When I went home he was angrier than I had ever seen him. We argued, and he got angry. He kicked me, and told me that he 'wanted it out of me'. When he finally realized what he did he was apologetic, and tried to help me up. I refused his help, and I left. When I got outside a woman saw me and drove me to the hospital. Before I got there I knew that something was wrong, I just didn't know how wrong."

_Flashback:_

_A doctor ushers her into the waiting room. He quickly assesses her and asks her about the pregnancy. He does an ultrasound which reveals a very erratic heart rate, and no movement from the baby. He checks to see if she's in labor. He finds that she's over seven centimeters dilated. Due to the nature of the situation he decides to do an emergency c-section. They give her an epidural, and then continue to prep her. The minutes drag on as they do the surgery. Finally the silence of the room is broken. There is a very quiet cry as a swarm of nurses gather around. Temperance looks on in fear. The watch as the tiny baby moves to an incubator. She watches as the infant turns blue. As the doctor sews her up she just stares at the corner of the room. She watches helplessly as they try reviving the infant. Ten minutes later the infant lies there lifelessly._

End of flashback.

"It was too early," Angela offers.

"That wasn't why."

Angela reaches for her hand as tears stream down Temperance's face. "After they did the ultrasound I knew. I could tell by the look on their faces. I knew that I was about to give birth to a baby who wasn't going to make it. I just had to lay there while they tried to save her. I couldn't do anything."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I should have left him."

"Temperance."

"Her lungs were developed enough to be able to breath, and her heart was strong. She died because the trauma to her brain kept her from being able to do either. I could have stopped it. It was my fault. I didn't have to go home. I could have left so many times and I never did. I let him do this to me. I let him..."

"Stop. There was nothing that you could have done."

"Yes there was. I'm just as guilty as he is because I let it happen. I didn't stop him. He kicked me so many times. He killed her."

"Bren..."

She begins to go into hysterics, "I wanted her. I thought that once she was born he would change his mind. That it would be ok, and things would be good again. I never should have stayed. I never should have let him hurt her."

"Shh! It's ok," Angela hugs her.

"No it's not ok. It isn't ok. She died because of me."

"No she didn't. It wasn't your fault it was his. He did it."

"I couldn't save her. I should have been able to save her," her voice gets quieter as she flips further in the book. She stops and stares at a piece of paper. Angela reads it over her shoulder. She can feel Temperance's pain as she reads the death certificate for herself.

"I was her mother. I was supposed to protect her, and I didn't. I killed her."

"No you didn't."

"I let him kill her."

"Stop. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I did everything wrong."

"Why didn't he go to jail?"

"What?"

"Why didn't he go to jail?"

"What do you mean?"

"Couldn't he have been charged with murder or something?"

"He left."

"Didn't the police pursue it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think that he'll beat the charges against him now?"

"Yeah he'll probably get out and come for me."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because I know what happened. I could very easily have the rug pulled out from under him."

"Why don't you?"

"I don't want revenge."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't change anything. It doesn't fix it."

"He deserves to rot in jail."

"I know that."

"Then why don't you..."

"Angela I've tried really hard to forget that night... hell that entire year."

"But he..."

"It doesn't matter what he did. He'll get away with it."

"Only if you let him."

"Let him? How can I stop him?"

"Do something."

"There is nothing that I can do."

"Can't you have him charged for..."

"Angela how would that work?"

"I don't know. I didn't think that there was a statute on murder."

"And your point is what exactly?"

"He should have to pay for what he did."

"I can't go through that. Do you know it would take to prove all of this?"

"All they would have to do is talk to the staff of the hospital."

"Has any murder investigation we've ever been involved in been that easy?"

"No."

"Angela I can't go through that. I don't want people to know."

"Why? Are you ashamed of something?"

"I'm ashamed that I didn't do more. I'm ashamed that I didn't do anything to stop it."


	14. I'll Never Let You Go

"How were you going to finish school?"

"What?"

"How would you have finished school with a baby?"

"People do it all the time. The how never mattered."

"But..."

"Please just stop. I can't talk about this anymore. I don't want to go down this road."

"Bren you lost a child."

"That was a lifetime ago."

"You lost your child... your daughter."

With tears in her eyes and anger in her voice she asks, "Don't you think that I know that? I've tried so hard to forget, but I think about it every damn day. I've never gotten over it."

"Maybe you're not supposed to."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it?"

"But why?"

"Pain is a reminder of something that we once felt. We need the pain to remember the things we felt before the pain. If we go though life numb we end up cold, bitter and lonely."

"I would rather be numb."

"Would you really rather be numb?"

"Yes," she answers.

"Don't lie," he tells her softly.

"What makes you think that I'm lying?"

"Because you know that I'm right. Because you know at the same time you're feeling all of this pain you're also feeling the love that you had this child."

"It would have been easier if I didn't want her, then it wouldn't hurt so much."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know,"she shrugs

"Tell me what you do know."

"I wanted her. I loved her and I hate him..."

"It makes so much more sense now."

"What makes more sense?"

"You not wanting kids."

"What? I never wanted kids."

"You didn't?"

"No. I never desired to be a mother."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"You kept her despite him begging you not to. You're telling me that you didn't want her?"

"Of course I wanted her. I wanted her the second that I knew about her."

"Why?"

"I don't know, because I..."

"You loved her more than you ever expected that you could."

"Yes."

"Which is exactly you don't want kids."

"What?"

"You're afraid to go through that again. You don't want to put yourself through that again. You don't want to fall in love with a child only to have them taken away from you."

"Where did you get that?"

"It's psychology."

"I hate psychology."

"I know, but you know that I'm right."

"I will admit that I can see some validity in your argument."

"Just like you don't believe in marriage because yours was a disaster."

"I've never believed in marriage."

"Then why did you get married?"

"I was young and stupid."

"You're telling me that you've never believed in marriage?"

"No never."

"So then when he asked you to marry him why did you say yes?"

"I don't know. I told him yes without ever thinking about it."

"You said something without thinking?"

"Don't sound so surprised."

"I'm not. Because as much as you think, you rarely think about what you're saying before it comes out of your mouth."

"I know."

"Temperance it's time to tear down the walls, and let someone in. Anyone. You're not protecting your heart. You're just hurting yourself by keeping yourself from ever loving anyone."

"Ange... I don't even know where to start."

"You know exactly where to start, you just won't admit it. That's ok. You don't have to admit it to me. But you have to admit it to yourself."

Temperance takes a deep breath trying to hold back the tears, but her attempt proves futile. Angela hugs her, "It's ok," she promises.

Angela leave her. Temperance finds herself feeling lonely. She longs for someone, for something real. She dials a familiar number. After a few seconds he's on his way to her. His knuckles don't get the chance to touch the door. She has it open before he can make contact.

He takes her in his arms. She pushes the door shut behind him. She hugs him tightly.

"Shh! It's ok. I'm here for you," he promises her.

"Don't let go," she tells him.

"I won't."

"Ever," she adds in a tiny voice.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'd never leave you. I'm always going to be here for you."

"You promise?"

"I swear to you, I will never leave you."

"Even now that you..."

"Never," he repeats.


End file.
